Rivals At First Sight
by Lindsey2
Summary: At the beginning they were rivals, so how does that turn into friendship...or maybe into love? Chandler and Monica fanfic, but the rest of the friends feature along the way. Check it out! Chapter 9 now up!
1. Chapter 1 New Kid On The Block

:Here is a brand new fanfic everybody. Don't worry, TOW The Reunion is still continuing. Lol  Now if you liked that competitiveness between Monica and Chandler in TOW The Scare War that I wrote a while ago, you will like this! It's not at all the same as that though. The title of this fanfic is not the best but oh well I thought it was clever. Lol It's an A/U fanfic, I think you will get it pretty quickly. Just to guide you; Chandler has Joey and Phoebe, Monica has Ross and Rachel.:

Rivals At First Sight 

**Chapter 1 – New kid on the block**

Chandler smiled proudly at the poster his artistic friend, Phoebe, had created: 

_Coming soon…**'Bing's Something For Everyone!'** A restaurant to satisfy the pickiest of taste buds! It is as the name says…something for everyone! Opening night March 21st! Located in the centre of The Village, NYC._

Chandler was proud of his increasing success in the catering 'world.' When he was 21, Chandler had been a data processor for a large multi-national company. He had lasted six months before realising that it wasn't the job for him. Taking a risk, he quit the security of his work and applied to a local newspaper offering his services as a reporter. To his delight, he was given the task of being a food critic, writing a weekly column on a particular restaurant he had visited and giving his opinions on them. His daring wit, constructive criticism and honesty made Chandler popular with readers.

After four years of writing, Chandler was given an opportunity to manage a restaurant. He knew being a chef was useless because, as he once pointed out to his amused readers, he didn't have the slightest idea of how to cook. "I'd be about as helpful in a kitchen as a hedge trimmer." He once wrote. However, his common sense and business brains caught the eye of a businessman, Tony Richardson, who needed someone to handle the running of his new Italian restaurant on Long Island. Chandler was good with numbers, so he could easily cope with the financial side and he soon settled in learning more about catering.

After two years of experience, a 27-year-old Chandler decided to buy the restaurant from Tony. The success of the business made him decide to open another restaurant, right in the centre of New York. Now all he could do was wait for opening day.

Still studying the poster, Chandler didn't hear the door of his apartment opening and his roommate, Joey, walking in. He was flapping a newspaper around excitedly. "Hey dude!" he shouted at Chandler who looked up in fright, "You've **got** to read this!"

Chandler recovered from his fright and studied the article that Joey was gesturing to. "Local Businesswoman speaks out." Chandler read aloud, "Restaurant owner Monica Geller publicly spoke out today with her views about her business rival, Chandler Bing, who is opening a new restaurant just around the block from Miss Geller's business. Already known for her dislike for the 'new kid on the block', Miss Geller sent out a message to her rival loud and clear, 'The chances of Mr Bing putting me out of business is the day when a hedge trimmer will be useful in the kitchen!' This reporter does not know if Miss Geller was aware that she had ironically used her enemy's most well known quip. Maybe she had just taken a shot at being sarcastic…or **maybe** these two fiery individuals really **do **have something in common? All I can really say is, the feud goes on! Reported by Bryan Wakes." 

"Can you **believe** what she said?!" Joey exclaimed as Chandler finished reading.

Chandler sighed and threw the article on the floor. "She has a right to say what she likes," he pointed out, "She's a woman trying to protect her business…it's not a crime."

"You can't let her talk about you like that!" Joey protested, "She'll ruin your reputation."

"This woman and I have been fighting it out since like forever," Chandler pointed out, "She's had a personal dislike for me since I reviewed her chicken soup as 'lukewarm, but still just about eatable.' Six years on, she still can't forget. I've survived so far…I don't think my reputation is down yet." 

"Hey remember that time when she called you a 'sarcastic idiot'?" Joey asked, chuckling.

"Of course," Chandler replied, grimacing, "I hit back saying that if people think I'm sarcastic, then my life long dream has finally been achieved."

"The tabloids had a great day with that one." Joey added, remembering. "She's crazy."

"I'm just as bad…I called her a 'painfully annoying pain in the neck' after she had a 'all you can eat' sale last year on the same day as **I** had one." Chandler rolled his eyes, trying not to think about the response he got that time.

"Owch…" Joey said, widening his eyes, "I missed that one."

"I've said worst." Chandler said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Can you imagine if you ever **met **her?" Joey asked, grinning.

"We'd probably have some sort of cat fight in Central Perk," Chandler replied, referring to the coffee house he regularly visited.

"So are you going to ignore this article or not?" Joey asked.

"Yes," Chandler said firmly, "Let her wait on the edge of her seat for a few days while **we **prepare for opening day!" he rubbed his hands together in excitement.

"And I'll be right there eating the food!" Joey added, grinning in anticipation.

"Great, now I need to go find out about that new chef I've hired…" Chandler murmured, walking out of the room.

******

Monica Geller smiled triumphantly at her latest speech in the newspaper. Her brother Ross glared at her in disapproval. She didn't care what he thought though. She wasn't about to let this ex-data processor and food critic ruin the business she had worked hard to make a success for the last six years. Not only would it be humiliating, it would prove her mother right that her daughter was a failure. Monica hated to be a failure. She had grown up to be a perfectionist and a competitor…nothing was going to stand in her way.

Chandler Bing's appearance in the restaurant business world had surprised her. She never thought the guy who made a joke out of restaurants in his weekly columns would actually consider the possibility of a catering career and make a success of it. She felt threatened and, in a way, a little jealous. His profits were slightly higher than hers and much as she hated to admit it, Monica knew that Chandler Bing was good at his job. She just only hoped he wasn't **too** good. 

END OF CHAPTER ONE 

:sorry if it's slightly short, but I hope you like it!:


	2. Chapter 2 Mistaken Identity

:This A/N was going to be me complaining about my friend beating me at chess yesterday afternoon. However, mother of god I beat her after one hour of playing! Woohoo!! Lol…and YES TOW The Reunion Part 11 will be posted in a couple of days…just working out the details. 

And thanks for the reviews! Keep them coming!

 Disclaimer: Never done one of these before…um…I don't own Matty Perry (although I wish I did) or any members of the cast. lol

Rivals At First Sight Chapter 2 – Mistaken Identity One week later… 

"I have spread around all the posters so everyone should be going to your restaurant on the big day!" Phoebe told Chandler excitedly.

Sipping his coffee on the worn couch at Central Perk, Chandler looked worriedly at his friend. "You really think people will come?" he asked. 

"Of course!" Phoebe assured him, "Why wouldn't they?" she frowned suddenly. "You haven't been reading the tabloids about that woman again have you?"

All week Monica had been talking the press daily about the reasons why Chandler's business would not be a good thing for people who wanted fine, good quality food. She described his menus as bland and unoriginal. Hurt by the comments at first, Chandler chose to ignore the articles but then after reading one particular quote from Monica saying his business intellect was 'ego-driven' he hit back with a vengeance. Going to his old reporter co-workers, he told them to go to Monica's restaurant and taste her soups. It resulted with a rather harsh review the next morning.

"Harsher than I wanted it to be," Chandler admitted to Phoebe now as he explained his problems, "There were some pretty nasty words in there."

"Well her soups **are **tasteless," Phoebe pointed out, "You get more flavour from plain rice!"

"Everyone has their faults." Chandler said quietly, "I can't even **cook **rice!"

"You're too nice for your own good!" Phoebe told him, shaking her head.

"Too nice?!" Chandler exclaimed, "Me?! We'll just see about that!"

*******

"This is slowly getting out of control now," Ross told Monica sternly. He gestured to the latest insults, this time from Chandler to Monica. He turned to his girlfriend Rachel, who was also Monica's roommate; "tell her!" 

"I've already told her that Ross and she won't listen." Rachel replied, shrugging her shoulders.

Monica sighed. She knew Ross and Rachel were right but she couldn't help what she was doing. She was born to compete and, unknown to her brother and roommate, she was getting seriously worried about her business. The profits were still low, the assistant chef's were making inadequate food and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't come up with a decent recipe for a soup. 

Monica didn't mean to choose Chandler as her target but the truth of the matter was, he **was **her main rival and she was dreading opening day of 'Something For Everyone' more than she cared to admit. It was going to hurt her business…and bad. She had secretly visited Chandler's other restaurant a few days ago and was given a huge surprise. The food was delicious, the waiters were polite and the prices affordable. If Chandler hadn't been a food critic, she would have seriously considered arranging a meeting with him to discuss the businesses they owned. However, she didn't like the reviews he used to make about her restaurant or his constant quips about her neurotic perfectionism that he made to the press. It made Monica angry and the only way she could handle that was declaring all out war. She just didn't realise that Chandler could play that game very well too.

"I'm not giving up!" Monica told Ross and Rachel, "We'll just see who comes out on top after **I'm **finished."

"Well this Chandler doesn't seem to want to give up either!" Rachel commented, reading the article, "He's very to the point…kind of like you."

"Chandler is **nothing **like me," Monica protested, "I'm a professional chef…he's a guy who just wants to make money out of other people! He can't even **cook**." She snickered.

Rachel rolled her eyes, "Ok Mon, so he can't cook, but he's a very good businessman. I visited his other restaurant a couple of months ago and he's very good…"

"You **ate **at his restaurant?!" Monica demanded, shocked.

"Um…well, yeah." Rachel said cautiously, looking guilty.

"I can't believe you ate there," Monica said, hurt, "He's the enemy…that's going behind my back."

"I **didn't **go behind your back Mon…"

"Ok let's just calm down here," Ross interrupted, looking nervously between the two women.

Monica folded her arms. "Fine, I won't say another word." She muttered.

"Look Mon, I know he said some pretty bad things about your food in the past but you don't even know what Chandler **looks **like! There's never been a picture of him in the paper!" Rachel gestured to the article, "You don't know the guy and he doesn't know **you**."

Monica shrugged, "I wouldn't speak to the guy even if I **did **meet him." She said.

******

Chandler walked around the inside of his new restaurant. It was still only half finished but he loved how it was starting to look already. He was aiming for country house style with stonewalls, wooden floorboards and tables. It would be cosy and traditional with modern facilities. 

"Oh wow…" Phoebe whispered behind him, "This is going to be great!"

"The food will be good I hope!" Joey added.

"Of course Joey!" Chandler told him, laughing. He walked back outside and stared around the location. "This is going to be perfect! We're right opposite Central Perk, just a few blocks from the park…perfect location." He nodded, satisfied. He raised his eyebrows a little as he thought of Monica's restaurant. He walked down the street and turned a corner. "You know I think it's time to visit 'Geller's Cuisine'." He said. He turned to his friends. "I'll see you guys later."

"Ok, we'll be in Central Perk," Phoebe said. She and Joey walked away.

Chandler walked up to the entrance of the restaurant and peeked in through the window. To his surprise, the furnishings matched his own tastes and ideas for his own restaurant. "Maybe she isn't such a wacko after all," Chandler muttered, walking in. He looked around him and saw the cleanliness of the area. Monica obviously was a perfectionist in that too. 

He walked around the tables and went up to a waiter. "Hi," he greeted, "Can I speak to Monica Geller please?"

"Um…for any particular reason?" the waiter asked.

"I just wanted to meet the chef." Chandler replied, shrugging his shoulders.

A few minutes later, Chandler saw a beautiful young woman with shoulder length dark brown hair pulled back into a bun walking up to him. That couldn't be her, Chandler told himself in disbelief, could it? 

The woman smiled and held out her hand to him. "I'm Monica Geller and I own this restaurant," she explained, "What was it you wanted to see me about?"

Chandler found he had nothing to say. He was completely bowled over by the beauty and…politeness…of Monica. He couldn't believe this was the same woman who had been trash talking about him to the press. "Um…er…I'm Joey!" he blurted out, thinking of the first name that popped into his head.

"Hi Joey," Monica greeted, shaking his hand.

"Um…just wanted to say what a nice place you've got here." Chandler told her, swallowing hard.

Monica smiled at him, "Thank you." she said. 

"So…um…I'll get going now." Chandler said quickly. He started to walk towards the door, still staring at Monica. He bumped into a chair and winced. He blushed at Monica, who was looking like she wanted to laugh. He waved and walked out. He walked down the street, back around the corner and leaned against a wall breathing hard. "Stop it Chandler," he told himself sternly, "She may be beautiful on the outside but she's a devil on the inside." 

****

The next morning… 

"Cute guy…" Rachel murmured to herself, looking at the newspaper in front of her. "Look at this Mon…" She turned to Monica, who was stirring her cereal in a daydream. She smiled and shook her head, "Are you still thinking about that guy at the restaurant?" she asked.

Monica snapped her head up and blushed. "Um…well…"

Rachel laughed, "He was obviously very cute for you to keep dreaming about him like this." She commented.

"Oh he had these gorgeous blue eyes." Monica sighed, "…and the most perfect teeth when he smiled…"

"Um…Mon…did this guy have wavy brown hair with a little quiff at the top?" Rachel asked.

"Yes…" Monica looked at her friend in surprise, "Why?"

"Because I'm looking at a picture right now that fits that description." Rachel replied, showing Monica the paper. "It looks like your 'Joey' isn't what he seems…mistaken identity perhaps?" she grinned.

"He's Chandler?!" Monica exclaimed in shock.

END OF CHAPTER TWO 

:What is Monica's reaction after? Lol find out soon. Becca I know you wanted that other plot, but I think you'll still like this version!:


	3. Chapter 3 Opening Day

:Matthew Perry in London baby!!! Just in case you haven't heard about it…Matty is coming to London in May to star in a West End play!!! I am SO going to it! I can't wait…I am so excited about it!! This has been my dream! Yes Exintaris, I think I fancy him! lol

Anyway, here is chapter three of Rivals At First Sight. Enjoy and please review! It is a pleasure to get so many, it's so nice of you!:

Rivals At First Sight 

**Chapter Three – Opening Day**

Chandler paced nervously around the restaurant, checking his watch every few seconds. In the end, Joey groaned and motioned for him to stop. 

"You're making me feel sick!" he protested, "Just keep still for one second…**please**."

"Joey's right," Phoebe agreed, "You're just getting yourself into a state."

Chandler glared at his friends and stopped pacing. "An hour from now about 100 invited guests is going to walk through that door for this big opening day. There's going to be lots of important people here…how can I **not **be in a state?!" he started to pace again, running his hands through his hair.

Phoebe and Joey exchanged glances. "Um…Chandler?" Phoebe asked cautiously, "Since when do you care about what people think? They've tired to shoot you down before and you've never let them get to you! Besides, looking like you're about to die isn't going to help so you might as well look like you're enjoying yourself!"

"Thanks for the advice," Chandler said sarcastically, standing still again.

"Now **that's **more like it!" Phoebe said approvingly, "Just keep to that attitude and you'll do fine! All you need to do is smile now."

Chandler gave a small half-hearted grin. Phoebe sighed, "I guess that'll have to do for now," she told him, "Just be yourself, that's all you've got to remember."

"Be yourself…be yourself." Chandler chanted to himself. "Is my tuxedo ok?"

Phoebe walked over and straightened his tie. She peered at him and nodded approvingly. "You look fine." She assured him. She turned to Joey, "Doesn't he?" she glared at him meaningfully.

"Oh yeah!" Joey replied enthusiastically, "A real professional! Now all you need is a gun and a vodka martini and you're James Bond!"

Chandler rolled his eyes and looked down at himself. "Maybe I should've gone for the ordinary tie." He muttered.

"Chandler, everyone is going to be looking like this, stop worrying!" Phoebe said sternly.

****

Monica and Rachel walked quickly up the street, their dresses just millimetres off the ground. Rachel stumbled on her high heels and stopped. "Mon, will you slow down please?" she begged, "You can't run in heels!"

Monica sighed and stopped. She waited for her friend to recover and then they continued to walk.

"So tell me Mon, why are we going to this party?" Rachel asked in confusion, "We didn't get an invite so this is kind of illegal…"

"Oh please," Monica scoffed, "People do it all the time! I just want to see the look on Chandler's face when he realises that I know who he **really **is."

"Then what?" Rachel looked at her friend nervously.

"Then I ask what the hell he was playing at when he came to my restaurant last week." Monica replied, scowling. 

"I don't think the guests are going to appreciate a fight Mon…" Rachel said nervously.

"There isn't going to be a fight," Monica assured her, trying to sound convincing, "I just want some answers, that's all."

They arrived at 'Something For Everyone' and paused outside the entrance. At the front, a guard was asking for people's invites before they could be let in.

"I don't think we can get in Mon," Rachel commented, sounding almost relieved.

Monica glanced at Rachel and scowled, "Don't even **think** about leaving," she told her, "I thought you liked parties anyway!"

"Parties that I'm **invited **to!" Rachel corrected her, "Not ones where we're not welcome!"

Monica turned away from the entrance and walked around the side of the building into a dark alleyway. "There's **got **to be another way in," she muttered, looking all around her for another door.

Rachel glanced nervously behind them. "Mon!" she whispered, "We shouldn't be down here." She pulled on Monica's arm, panicking. "Let's go!"

Monica pulled away from Rachel's grip and smiled in triumph, pointing to a door in the wall. "I think that leads to the kitchens!" she explained in a low voice, "The chefs come out of there to get rid of the scraps!"

"We can't go in **there**!" Rachel exclaimed, "We'll get caught!"

"It's our only way in!" Monica argued, "We've come **this **far, we might as well try!" she walked purposefully up to the door and pulled at the handle. The door opened slightly. Monica turned to Rachel and smiled. "I'm going in," she explained, "You can come if you want. If not, go home." She walked inside.

"Wait! Wait!" Rachel yelled, running over to the door and opening it, "You're not going without me!"

*****

Chandler gazed around the room, watching all the guests gathered in small groups laughing and talking. For the first time that evening, he relaxed. Phoebe and Joey had been right; he was just being his usual self and everyone was having a good time. He had lost count of the number of people who had approached him complimenting him on the good food and service. Sipping his champagne, he walked over to Phoebe who was deep in conversation with a group of women.

"Hi Chandler!" Phoebe greeted enthusiastically, "I was just talking to Tanya and Elizabeth here! They are partners in a vegetarian foods restaurant on the other side of the city."

Chandler smiled at the group, immediately understanding the bond the three women now shared. Phoebe was a committed vegetarian, and she could not bear the thought of animals dying just to feed humans. He felt someone tap him on the shoulder and he turned around. The smile faded from his face when he saw who it was.

"Miss…Miss Geller!" he blurted out, shocked. 

Monica folded her arms and smiled, "Nice gig you've got here…**Joey**," she snipped.

Chandler flushed and looked away. Phoebe stared at Monica in confusion. "This isn't Joey…this is Chandler!" she told her. "Joey is over there!" she pointed to Joey who was busy flirting with the waitress behind the bar.

"I know he's Chandler!" Monica snapped, "He just didn't tell me that before!" she glared at Chandler who was now staring back at her angrily.

"I don't think I remember sending you an invitation!" he pointed out, "How did you get in?"

"I have my ways," Monica replied smugly, "It wasn't too hard. Your security sucks."

Chandler scowled and folded his arms. "What do you want Monica?" he demanded.

"I want to know why you came to my restaurant last week spying on me!" Monica snapped.

"I **didn't** come to spy on you!" Chandler retorted. He walked away from Monica towards the bar.

"Why else would you come to see me then?" Monica demanded, following him. 

Chandler turned around to face her and sighed, "Ok, I was curious about the place you had." He admitted.

"Well at least you admit it." Monica muttered, scowling. "Find anything interesting? Are you going to make fun of me in the press now?"

"No," Chandler retorted, "I happen to be very impressed with your business! The service is top notch and the furnishings is stylish…kind of like my own tastes." He gestured around him.

"Then why did you criticise my soups?" Monica demanded.

Chandler groaned and ran his hand through his hair. "Will you **let** it go?!" he exclaimed, "That was six years ago!"

"How can you call my chicken soup 'just about eatable'?!" Monica cried, "That is a culinary masterpiece!"

"Um…no… it isn't." Chandler replied, rolling his eyes. "I've had better."

Monica widened her eyes and turned to the barman behind the counter. "Scotch on the rocks with a twist please!" she ordered bluntly.

"A bit early in the evening for the strong stuff isn't it?" Chandler commented dryly, watching Monica gulp down her drink. She turned away, ignoring him. "Ok, fine, ignore me. Be childish." Chandler added scowling. 

Monica spun around and glared at him. "I was **not **ignoring you!"

"So that'll be why you turned away from me," Chandler murmured.

*****

Across the room, Phoebe and Joey watched the arguing pair in disbelief. "So that's the famous Monica," Joey commented to his friend.

Phoebe nodded. "She's quite pretty isn't she?" she added, continuing to watch the fight brewing up.

"Yeah she is," Joey replied, grinning. His grin faded as he heard Chandler and Monica's voices grow louder. "What is **with **those two?" he asked.

"I'm not sure," Phoebe murmured, "They've both got fiery personalities…really stubborn, won't cave to the other in a fight." She smiled as she watched Monica put her hands on her hips, obviously annoyed with a comment that Chandler had said. "I think that's it…it's tension that's causing all this."

"Tension?" Joey asked, confused. "What sort of tension?"

"Sexual tension," Phoebe explained, "Can you see the looks they're giving each other? It may look like anger from a distance, but it's more like frustration that they can't express themselves to each other any other way."

"So what happens now?" Joey asked, surprised at Phoebe's knowledge of the complicated conflict between Chandler and Monica.

"We shall just wait and see. I've got a feeling this is only the beginning." Phoebe replied mysteriously.

"Interesting theory you've got there," a female voice said behind them. Phoebe and Joey spun around to see a woman with highlighted brown hair grinning at them. "I'm Rachel Green," she added, "Monica's friend and roommate."

"Hi I'm Joey and this is Phoebe," Joey held out his hand for Rachel to shake, "Phoebe is a friend of Chandler and I. I'm Chandler's **available **roommate." He winked.

"Joey, stop hitting on her!" Phoebe scolded, glancing apologetically at Rachel. 

Rachel laughed, "It's ok." She assured them, "It's flattering…but you should know that I'm very happy with my boyfriend."

"Ok, I get the hint," Joey replied, rolling his eyes.

Rachel turned to Phoebe. "About what you said about Monica…you **could **be right! I don't know whether Chandler told you this but last week he paid a little visit to 'Geller's Cuisine'. He said his name was Joey." She glanced at Joey and grinned, "I see where he got **that **name now… and afterwards, Monica wouldn't stop talking about the guy with the 'wavy dark hair and gorgeous blue eyes.' Then she saw Chandler's picture in the paper…and you know the rest." She paused and gestured to the battling pair at the bar.

"So you think Monica actually **likes** Chandler?" Joey asked.

"Well she did before she found out he was her business rival!" Rachel replied, chuckling. "Now, I don't really know **what **she feels. She's obviously thinking enough about him, whether in a good or bad way, to want to gatecrash his party."

"This just gets better and better!" Phoebe exclaimed delightedly, "Now all we've got to know is what **Chandler** feels about **Monica**."

"Oh he likes her," Joey commented immediately.

"How can you tell?" Rachel asked curiously.

"I've known Chandler for years now and I know how he acts around women," Joey explained, "If he likes the girl he gets all nervous, quippy…neurotic." He gestured to Chandler now, who was in the middle of a rather loud and sarcastic retort to Monica. "He doesn't mean any of what he's saying…he's nervous…see the way he runs his hand through his hair?"

"Wow…" Phoebe murmured, impressed with her friend's knowledge, "You're not as dumb as they all say Joey!"

"When it comes to guys' behaviour towards women, I'm the guy who knows!" Joey said, shrugging his shoulders

****

"Ok, fine! Be that way!" Monica shouted, storming away from Chandler. Chandler watched her go with mixed emotions. He hated fights, but there was something about Monica that really got under his skin. He couldn't help the retorts when she was being so stubborn and unreasonable. He watched as Monica dragged a woman away from Phoebe and Joey and then walked out of the room. He saw a photographer snap a few pictures and groaned inwardly. Monica gatecrashing his party would be front-page news by the morning. He could see the headlines now…

_Business rivals clash at party bash!_

"Great…" he muttered.

Phoebe and Joey walked over to him and shook their heads. "What?" he asked them irritably.

"Why are you both so stubborn?" Phoebe asked him.

"Me? Stubborn?!" Chandler exclaimed, "**She's **the one who's being stubborn!"

"Ok Chandler, whatever." Phoebe murmured, rolling her eyes.

END OF CHAPTER THREE 


	4. Chapter 4 A Surprising Offer

:It is a nightmare trying to get your friends to meet up at the same place at the same time without someone being busy! I've been really trying to organise a day, month and time when we can see Matthew Perry in London. Is it easy? NO!

I know exactly where I'm going with this story now and have already nearly finished the next chapter after this one. lol…here is Chapter 4 of Rivals At First Sight. Enjoy and please review!:

Rivals At First Sight 

Chapter Four – A Surprising Offer.

_One month later…_

Chandler looked through his newspaper absentmindedly, not paying too much attention to the articles. His mind was on other things. One being that his restaurant, _Something For Everyone_, was already becoming a huge success just one month after opening day. The business was so demanding that he was forced into becoming an extra maitre d' to help the host that he had already hired. He enjoyed the work, but it was tiring trying to run his other business on Long Island and do the new job too. He was sometimes working up to 14 hours a day.

Chandler's second worry was the constant attention from the media about his rivalry with Monica. It was slowly becoming a tradition for the gossip columnists to write something new about their fights. The 'opening day clash' just made the attention all the more worst and Chandler was becoming sick of it. The media's obsession with the pair got to the point where they brought in a psychologist, Rick Morrison, to study the behaviour of the rivals and write a column explaining his findings. The results were, to Chandler's friends, hilarious.

_There is an attraction between these two individuals. All we need now is something to 'snap'. It's going to take an event to ease the rivalry and make these two fiery characters see each other in a different light. Both have stubbornness, and a neuroticism that can bounce off each other in an argument but can also attract each other like oil to a flame… passion, a flame that is slowly burning…._

"What is he? A poet or a psychologist?" Chandler had scoffed at the time, "An event to ease the rivalry? Passion? 'A slowly burning flame?' Can someone please explain what the hell he's talking about?"

"If you really can't see it then there's no point in explaining," Phoebe had replied, "The two of you will work it out for yourselves in time."

Now, as Chandler looked through his newspaper, he still didn't see it. It was driving him nuts that the media would just not let it go. He flipped through the pages, shaking his head. He stopped and widened his eyes at the article he saw at the bottom of the page. "Now **this **is interesting," he murmured, reading.

****

"A competition?" Monica asked Rachel in confusion, "What sort of competition?" 

"Read this." Rachel instructed, handing Monica a newspaper.

" 'America's finest chefs will be competing in a month's time to win a prize of $40,000, an increase of $10,000 on last years prize, by cooking a variety of dishes in front of a panel of food critics. The contestants do not usually like to win for the money, but for the publicity it will bring to their talents.'" Monica looked up at Rachel and smiled slowly. "Are you saying I should enter this competition? She asked.

"Of course!" Rachel exclaimed, "It's still not too late to enter. You could **totally **win this!"

"But…but it's only in a month!" Monica exclaimed.

"Mon, you're an amazing chef. Most of these contestants will be amateurs…you'll walk away with the money no questions asked! Think what great publicity it will bring to 'Geller's Cuisine'."

"I don't know," Monica said doubtfully.

"Well you know what **Chandler **will be feeling if you won," Rachel murmured innocently.

"He'd be feeling sick!" Monica realised, grinning, "I'd be stealing his thunder! Rach, I'm going to enter this straight away. I just need to get a application form." She walked out of the apartment in excitement.

"I knew that would get her going." Rachel told herself smiling. She turned to Ross, who was looking at her with disapproval. "What?"

"You're just **encouraging** this silly, childish rivalry!" Ross retorted, "The tabloids will never leave Monica alone now!"

"Ross, honey, Monica needs this to get publicity for her business," Rachel explained, "Give the girl a break."

"Ok, fine." Ross snapped, shaking his head in despair, "So she enters…but I can see all this blowing up in her face. What if…oh I don't know…let's say what if this Chandler guy enters the competition too?" he frowned worriedly.

"Then we have a interesting battle to watch, don't we?" Rachel replied, smiling, "Besides, I doubt he will enter anyway. He doesn't know how to cook!"

"But what if he **does **enter? What then?" Ross demanded.

"Well that psychologist **did **say an event might get those two to stop fighting…" Rachel smiled suggestively.

"Over my dead body," Ross said darkly, scowling.

*****

"So how does this competition work?" Joey asked Chandler a few days later.

"Ok, here's how it works," Chandler explained, "The cooking areas for each contestant will just be a small stove on a table, and the appropriate equipment needed. These will be placed in a large room in front of a panel of judges who will be watching to make sure nobody is breaking the rules."

"Breaking the rules?" Phoebe asked in confusion, "What rules?"

"They will be looking out for deliberate sabotage that some contestants might do to one another. You know…adding 'ingredients' to make the food less eatable. You'll be surprised how far someone can go to make sure they win."

"Wow…so what happens next?" Joey asked.

"This competition will have two rounds. The first round is more of an elimination process than anything. This year in the first round you're expected to make a cheesecake. You cook it and then the judges go to each table, eat it and comment on it and then award points out of 10. If you are given points lower than 5, you don't make it to the next round. The contestants with over 5 points go on to the next round. This time, there will be an audience watching along with the judges. You're expected to cook a meatball soup. As before, the judges award points out of 10. The contestant with the most points added together from both rounds wins the prize. You go up on stage in front of the audience and the photographers from all the national newspapers to collect your prize."

"This sounds really good but Chandler there's one little problem…you can't cook." Phoebe pointed out.

"I want to prove myself in front of these critics from the papers that I deserve the success I have with my restaurants," Chandler said quietly, "Also, with a bit of luck, I **can **cook a meatball soup thanks to Joey and his weakness for Italian food." He smiled.

"You **do **make a great soup," Joey agreed, "But is it up to the standard that the judges will be expecting?"

"I'll keep practicing," Chandler said, determined.

"Ok, so you can make a soup," Phoebe admitted, "But what about the cheesecake? You've **never **made one. How are you going to get through the first round?"

"Yes, that is something I've got to work on." Chandler admitted, starting to look worried. "Can either of you help me with that?"

"Sorry Chandler, but I don't have any idea how to make a cheesecake," Joey said, shaking his head, "Do you Pheebs?"

"No," Phoebe murmured, "But I know somebody who does." She turned to Chandler. "I've just had a idea, listen to this…"

****

"The cheesecake is no problem at all, I'm well known for making the most delicious cake." Monica told Rachel and Ross excitedly, "It's just the soup I'm worried about…it's that skill I need the most otherwise I won't win."

"Yes, you're not exactly good at that side of catering." Rachel agreed cautiously, "no offence, but I've had better soups."

"Thanks Rach," Monica said sarcastically, "That helps me a lot."

There was a knock on the door and Ross went to answer it. He was surprised by who was standing outside. "Mon…you have a visitor." Ross said, opening the door wider so that Monica could see. It was Chandler.

"Oh," Monica said in surprise. She frowned. "What are **you** doing here?"

"Nice welcome **that** is," Chandler muttered, walking in and shutting the door. "I've bothered about ten other Geller's until I found the right apartment. That is about as frustrating as it can get… not counting when you're surfing through 100 different TV channels to find a decent show to watch and you suddenly realise you're no better off than when you had **non**-cable and just a **few** channels." He rolled his eyes in mock despair, getting a knowing chuckle from Ross.

"I'm in no mood for 'the chandler show' right now," Monica snapped, rolling her eyes. "I'm busy. What is it you want?"

"I'm here because I have a feeling you're entering a certain competition." Chandler explained.

"So?"

"So I'm here to make you a offer you can't refuse!" Chandler continued enthusiastically.

"What kind of offer?" Monica asked suspiciously.

"Yeah," Ross agreed, frowning.

"Ok, here's the thing. I'm offering a kind of deal which if you accept, you'll have a much better chance of winning the competition…as I will too."

"I highly doubt that." Monica commented, wrinkling her nose.

"Look, listen to me a second," Chandler said, sighing, "We both know that I'm not a very good chef…however, I can cook the best meatball soup that I can guarantee you would love."

"Really?" Monica asked sceptically.

"Yes…and **you** make the best cheesecakes in the world!" Chandler added.

"Where exactly is all this leading?" Monica said with impatience in her voice.

"I think **I **see where all this is leading," Rachel interrupted, smiling.

"Monica, you need help making a soup good enough for the second round and I'm the guy to help you do that!" Chandler continued.

"Why would **you **want to help **me**?" Monica asked in surprise.

"Well there **is **one condition of course…"

"What?" Monica asked cautiously.

"If I help you practice making a meatball soup, you can help **me **make a cheesecake to get through to the second round."

"Interesting but what exactly do we get out of this?" Monica demanded.

"Monica, you're one of the best chef's in New York!" Chandler exclaimed, "I have the best meatball soup in New York! If we can help each other with our talents, it would mean that one of us would win the competition! We'd blow away the opposition no questions asked whatsoever."

Monica folded her arms, walking closer to Chandler. "What if I don't **want **your help?" she asked bluntly.

"Then you can just turn up at the competition with the worst meatball soup in America," Chandler replied, shrugging, "Meanwhile, I won't even **make** it to the second round and we both miss out."

"So, you're saying if we help each other, one of us could win this thing?" Monica asked slowly. Chandler nodded. She frowned up at him. "What if **I** win and you don't? What happens then?"

"Then you've won." Chandler stated simply, "A win-lose situation."

 "What?" Monica gasped, "You don't want half the prize money? Are you serious?"

"Yes," Chandler replied seriously, "If I lose, I've still shown those judges that I can make a damn good cheesecake! And if I** win**, you don't get half either but at least you can show your critics that you can make a soup." He held out his hand. "Do you accept my offer?" he asked, looking at her hopefully.

Monica hesitated. She could see her brother standing behind Chandler shaking his head and mouthing 'you can't trust him'. She looked away from Ross and gave Chandler a stiff smile. She shook his hand and nodded. "If I lose, I still keep my pride. If I win, I get the money. The same goes for you. Ok, I agree."

Chandler nodded and gave her a small smile. "We should start helping each other as soon as possible. Maybe tomorrow morning at 8am? It's Sunday, both our businesses are closed so…"

"Yes," Monica agreed. 

Chandler opened the door, "Good to do business with you." he said formally.

"It still doesn't mean I like you." Monica said shortly, "This is just business."

"Just business." Chandler agreed. He walked out of the apartment and shut the door.

"What the hell are you **doing**?" Ross yelled at Monica, "Have you gone nuts?!"

"No Ross, I haven't gone nuts." Monica replied.

"Look Mon, I think you're still going to win this because of your experience. What if Chandler goes back on his word and wants half of your money?" Ross pointed out, scowling.

"He won't do that," Monica insisted, "Unless he doesn't want to walk again!"

"Monica's right," Rachel told Ross, "I don't think he'll want to mess Monica around." She smiled.

"God, I'm going to dread these next few weeks," Ross groaned. He sat down and buried his head into his hands.

Monica didn't say anything to that. She secretly thought that working with Chandler in the kitchens was going to be a nightmare. The pair could hardly say two words to each other without a fight flaring up. However, if there was a chance to win $40,000, she was willing to take that risk.

**END OF CHAPTER FOUR**


	5. Chapter 5 Having Fun

I think I've finally sorted out when my friends and I can go to matthew in London! yay me! Been a nightmare...there had better be some tickets left!

Rivals At First Sight 

Chapter Five – Having Fun

Monica waited impatiently for Chandler to arrive at 'Geller's Cuisine'. She checked her watch. It said 8.30. Chandler was half an hour late. Monica hated lateness; it was one of her 'things.' She fiddled with the equipment, angry that Chandler had obviously forgot their appointment. She realised that she couldn't pick up the phone to call him, as she didn't have his number. She didn't even know where he **lived**. 

The door opened and in burst Chandler, throwing off his coat and hanging it up on the hook. "Sorry I'm late!" he said breathlessly, "I overslept."

Monica put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "You **overslept**?!" she cried, "I've been here since 7am getting everything ready. How can you oversleep?"

Chandler groaned and rubbed his tired eyes. "I'm sorry," he said, yawning, "But what you don't realise is that I was working until 11pm last night at my restaurant. I worked 15 hours yesterday, you were lucky that I had the **time **to make you that offer yesterday lunchtime."

"Why are you working that amount of hours?" Monica asked in surprise, softening her tone of voice slightly.

"The new business is so hectic that I've been forced to be a maitre de' at that place as well as working at my other one on Long Island," Chandler explained. He yawned again and put on an apron.

"Why don't you hire someone to work at Long Island for you so that you can just work in this area?"

"I wish I could but working at Long Island requires extra attention and I can't put all that pressure on a new guy. The waiters and waitresses over there are a little…inexperienced. They're still trainees and still don't know how to treat their customers right…and that's all I'm saying." He grimaced.

"I know what you mean. My friend Rachel used to be a waitress at Central Perk and even after three years she **still **didn't know where to put the trays!" she chuckled slightly.

"Hey I think I remember her!" Chandler exclaimed, laughing, "The girl with short, light brown hair who served rude people sneezes?"

"That's her!" Monica confirmed, laughing harder.

The two fell silent for a moment, suddenly feeling awkward at the friendly moment that they had shared. "Um…shall we get started?" Monica asked hesitantly.

"Yes…yes of course!" Chandler replied, "Shall I help you with the soup?"

****

"The trick is to put in a little extra of everything," Chandler explained a couple of hours later. "More vegetables and meatballs." He watched Monica stir the watery liquid in the saucepan. "We need something to make that thicker," he murmured. He saw a bag of flour on a shelf and grabbed it. He handed it to Monica.

"How much of this should I put in?" Monica asked, pouring the flour in the soup.

"Whoa! Whoa!" Chandler exclaimed, grabbing the bag from her hand, "Too much!"

Monica and Chandler watched the liquid turn lumpy. "That's…ok." Chandler said hesitantly, trying not to laugh. Monica glared at him and tried to stir the lumps out.

"I'm trying my best!" she muttered, scowling.

"Maybe we should throw that out and start over." Chandler suggested. "Because change the colour of **that **meal and you've got yourself porridge for your breakfast!" he chuckled loudly only to stop when he saw the look on Monica's face.

Monica sighed in frustration and poured the lumpy liquid down the sink. "Maybe we should concentrate on your cheesecake now." She snapped, grabbing a bowl and a handful of ingredients.

"I thought we were doing that tomorrow," Chandler said in surprise, "We need to get your soup right today."

"Well I'm not likely to if you're just going to play the fool all the time!" Monica retorted, raising her voice a little. She grabbed a handful of eggs and started to break them into the bowl.

Chandler scowled, "Well excuse me for trying to make this fun!" he responded angrily.

"What you were doing before wasn't fun…at least not to me. You were making fun of me when I was really trying my best." Monica told him.

"My jokes were not intended to upset you," Chandler said in surprise, "I was just trying to make a joke out of the situation. I was seeing the funny side!"

"Well it **wasn't **funny!" Monica exclaimed, gripping an egg tight in her fist. She heard a crack and felt cold, slimy liquid slide down her wrist. She looked down and saw that she had broke the egg. 

Chandler let out a huge laugh and handed Monica a towel. "You were right, what happened before wasn't funny," he admitted, giggling, "**This **is."

"Right! That's it!" Monica yelled, fuming. She grabbed the bag of flour and threw a handful of it at him. The powder landed on the front of his apron.

Chandler stared at the angry woman in shock before raising his eyebrows and grabbing another bag of flour. He ripped it open and threw a handful back at her where it hit her neck.

For the next few minutes, all hell was let loose as Monica and Chandler chased each other around the kitchen throwing flour at each other. When there was no flour left, they grabbed the remainder of the eggs and let them fly at each other. Monica grabbed Chandler and wiped egg slime all over his forehead. He pulled her to the floor and they rolled around together on the tiles, which was by now covered with flour dust and broken eggs.

"You think **this **is fun now?" Monica asked, gritting her teeth as she tried to wipe a mixture of flour and eggs on his shirt. 

"What the **hell **are you two **doing**?!" a voice yelled behind them. Monica and Chandler froze and looked up from the floor. By the doorway, they could see Ross glaring at them with a mixture of shock and disgust. Just a few feet behind him Phoebe, Joey and Rachel stared at the scene with amusement.

"Well?" Ross asked, continuing to yell.

"Well…um…" Chandler and Monica mumbled, looking embarrassed. They sat up and glanced at each other before looking back up at Ross.

"You're not twelve year olds anymore!" Ross exclaimed in disgust, "What are you playing at?"

"Well…um…we were just having fun." Chandler responded, shrugging his shoulders. He glanced at Monica and they both broke into giggles, laughing harder as they both saw the hilarity of the situation. They stood up, trying to wipe off the slime from their clothes. They stared at their friends and broke into more snorts and laughter.

Ross rolled his eyes and backed away from the pair. He walked out of the kitchen and left the restaurant. Joey, Phoebe and Rachel grinned at Monica and Chandler who were now gazing at each other with affection and ease. 

"We're going to go now," Joey said. He walked out of the restaurant with Phoebe and Rachel.

Chandler smiled at Monica and held out his hand. "I know it's a weird thing to make friends with someone who just wiped egg slime all over my shirt but…truce?" he looked at her hopefully.

Monica broke into a smile and shook his hand. "Friends," she corrected him, "I think we called a truce when we decided to do this deal in the first place."

"Friends." Chandler repeated softly. He let go of Monica's hand and looked round at the chaotic kitchen. "I think we've got to clear up this mess." He added.

"And ourselves," Monica pointed out, wiping egg out of her hair.

*****

Several hours later, Monica and Chandler were back at Monica and Rachel's apartment. "You can use my shower to clean yourself up," Monica offered.

"Thanks. I didn't really want to walk through the neighbourhood with flour in my hair." Chandler said appreciatively, smiling. He walked into the bathroom.

Monica smiled to herself as she took off her coat and placed it carefully around the chair. She walked over to the TV and switched it on. On a entertainment news channel, Rick Morrison, the psychologist that analyzed Chandler and Monica the previous week was speaking. "Every week I'll be writing a column about the two rivals. I think readers will be very interested on how this relationship develops." Monica widened her eyes as she listened to the shocking announcement. She imagined the look on Ross' face if he was watching it right now. Already protective of his sister, Ross would not like the new attention from the media.

Chandler stuck his head out of the bathroom door and stared at Monica with a mixture of shock and amusement. "What was that I just heard?" he asked slowly. Before Monica could answer, he shook his head and rolled his eyes. "I don't think you'd better tell your brother." He added, shutting the door.

*****

"Out of control!" Ross yelled in fury as he finished watching Rick Morrison on the TV. "I **knew** this was a mistake!"

Rachel sighed and switched off the TV, looking at Ross with concern. "Honey, don't take this the wrong way but I really think you should consider seeing your shrink at work again. Your behaviour is reminding me of your 'mental geller' phase."

"I am **not** in that phase again!" Ross disagreed, trying to sound calmer. "I'm just worried about my sister, that's all."

"You're obsessing over a silly little article in the paper!" Rachel exclaimed, "You're behaving exactly like when that guy stole your sandwich. It's stupid...there's nothing to worry about. Monica is old enough to look after herself and she can date whomever she likes. Chandler is a sweet, funny guy."

"They're **dating**?!" Ross yelled, shock spread over his face.

Rachel sighed, "No, not right now but it **could** happen," she replied, "They seemed to have stopped fighting. Will you just calm down a sec...**please**.

"How can those two start dating?" Ross demanded, trying to sound calmer again, "They're in competition with one another!" he paused and frowned, "They were rivals at first sight!" he added.

END OF CHAPTER FIVE 

: more coming soon and please review!:


	6. Chapter 6 It's Just Business

:Thank you for the reviews! It's great to get so many. Although I swear I've lost six of them on the main page because there are extra of them in my stats! Hmm…oh well one of life's little mysteries I guess! Keep them coming! And JenniGellerBing, I totally agree with you about the egg slime! Lol:

**Rivals At First Sight**

Chapter 6 – It's Just Business

After the food fight in the kitchens, things were a lot better between Monica and Chandler. They still disagreed and fought over the food, but the bitterness that was there was gone. Now, in between their little 'fights', they were able to laugh and talk about anything and everything.

"Hey, do you think we could finish earlier than planned today?" Chandler asked Monica two weeks later. "Sure, but why?" Monica asked, looking up from her soup to face him. She looked at him with concern. "There's nothing wrong is there? Are you ill?"

"Oh no, no!" Chandler said hurriedly, "It's nothing like that," he paused and blushed a little.

Monica saw the redness in Chandler's cheeks and smiled a little. "What are you up to?" she asked suspiciously. 

"Ok, ok. You see, the thing is, there's a movie on the television that I want to watch. It's starts at 1pm."

"Oh…is that all?" Monica asked, laughing. "What movie is it?"

"It's…it's the movie version of one of my favourite books. To Kill A Mockingbird." Chandler confessed, looking embarrassed.

"Oh my god! I **love **that book!" Monica exclaimed, "The bit at the end when the kids found out about Boo Radley…aww."

Chandler widened his eyes in surprise. "Oh my god, I can't believe I've met someone who likes it too!"

"Are you kidding me? I've read it so many times that I know it off by heart." Monica revealed, laughing. Her brow furrowed. "I don't remember the movie version of it."

"It's quite old. They don't show it all that often," Chandler explained, "That's why I wanted to see it today."

"Hey why don't I…no never mind." Monica shook her head and turned back to her soup.

"What?" Chandler prompted, confused.

"Well…would you like any company watching it?" Monica asked hesitantly, looking up at him hopefully.

Chandler broke into a grin. "Sure! We could go back to my apartment in a while and watch it."

"Great. It'll be fun." Monica added, smiling at him.

******

Chandler was seeing a whole new side to Monica's personality lately. From being a competitive wacko she had, in his eyes, all of a sudden turned into a beautiful, smart, funny woman that he could talk for hours to. Maybe deep down he had known that all along…he just hadn't realised it until now.

As they walked through the neighbourhood to his apartment, Chandler noticed Monica staring through the window of a jewellery shop. He stopped behind her. "What are you looking at?" he asked.

"That bracelet," Monica replied softly, pointing to the diamond-encrusted piece of jewellery in the display.

"You like that huh?" Chandler commented, grinning.

"My grandmother used to have one of those," Monica explained, "I remember when Ross and I were kids and we used to visit her. I would always beg her to let me wear her bracelet for a few hours but she always said no. I was too young she'd say." Monica paused and smiled sadly. "Then, on my twelfth birthday she said I could wear it. Just for that day. I felt so happy walking around the house with it on my wrist. When nana died I never saw the bracelet again, but seeing this one in here always reminds me of her."

"Wow," Chandler murmured, "I guess it means a lot to you then."

"Kinda," Monica replied, smiling. "Anyway, I shouldn't keep staring at it. I can't afford to buy it. I'm just living in a dream world."

"People can dream Monica," Chandler told her softly, "You never know, it may just come true one day."

"Yeah right!" Monica scoffed, laughing. "_Geller's Cuisine _maybe a nice money earner, but it still doesn't mean I can afford to buy $20,000 bracelets whenever I feel like it."

"Twenty thousand?!" Chandler exclaimed.

"Exactly." Monica said wryly. She grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the display. "Come on Bing!" she ordered, "Do you want to watch this movie or not?"

*****

"Why do the kids **never **call their father 'dad'?" Chandler asked as the closing credits rolled a couple of hours later. "It's either Atticus or Sir all the time."

Monica shrugged, "One of life's little mysteries." She said.

"I guess so." Chandler got up from his barker lounger and glanced at Monica who was sitting on the other lounger. He smiled a little as he watched her methodically take out one piece of popcorn from the bag each time. "Why don't you just grab a handful?" he asked, grinning.

Monica blushed. "Am I **that **bad?" she asked. "Does it bother you?"

"Not at all," Chandler replied, "It's the person you are."

"Hey, I can be careless sometimes!" Monica protested.

"I doubt that," Chandler muttered, smiling playfully at her. Monica threw a pillow at him and shook her head. The apartment door opened and in walked Joey and Phoebe.

"Well," Joey commented, grinning. "This is cosy." He winked.

Chandler and Monica rolled their eyes. "We were watching To Kill A Mockingbird," Chandler explained.

"Wow, fun." Phoebe deadpanned. She turned to Monica. "I'm glad you're here, I need to talk to you."

"What about?" Monica looked at the blonde hippy in surprise. They hadn't talked to each other a lot since they met. Most of Monica's time was spent in the kitchens.

"Hey Chandler, wanna go down to get some coffee?" Joey suggested, grabbing Chandler's arm and pulling him out of the apartment. 

When the door closed, Phoebe smiled at Monica. "It's Chandler's 28th birthday tomorrow and we're organising a surprise party for him." she explained, "Want to come?"

"Um…er…I don't know," Monica replied doubtfully, "Chandler and I are just working together. Its just business, I don't know anything about his life."

"Monica, wait a sec," Phoebe interrupted, "It's a beautiful afternoon and you're sitting in the apartment with Chandler watching a old movie." She smiled knowingly, "I think it's turned into a little more than 'just business' don't you think?"

Monica blushed. "We're just friends." She told her firmly.

"All the more reason why you should come to the party," Phoebe encouraged, "It would be great to have you there."

"Ok…um…when does it start?" Monica asked.

"7.30. Just come along for a while…please? Phoebe looked at Monica with pleading eyes.

"Ok, ok." Monica sighed, admitting defeat. "I'll come."

"Great!" Phoebe exclaimed excitedly, "Rachel and that weird brother of yours are welcome to come too!"

"Ross isn't weird!" Monica protested, laughing, "He can be a little high maintenance sometimes but he's a great guy underneath all that."

"Ok, whatever you say," Phoebe said, smiling.

*****

"Joey, what is this all about?" Chandler asked the next evening. "You've invited me out to dinner and now we're leaving even before we've ordered! That's not like you. Are you ok?"

"Actually…um…I think I ate something bad earlier." Joey told him, clutching his stomach.

"Please tell me you **didn't** eat the duck food again." Chandler moaned.

"Maybe…I don't know." Joey said, shrugging. He dragged Chandler down the street. "Come on. Let's just get home."

"Some birthday **this **is turning out to be." Chandler muttered. "I worked all day and now my roommate has ate the duck food." They walked to their building in silence and arrived outside their apartment. "The first thing I'm doing when we get inside is hiding the duck food from you." Chandler told Joey, opening the door.

"Surprise!" A mass of voices yelled at once. Chandler stared at the crowd of familiar faces and he broke into a grin.

"You…you did all this for me?" Chandler whispered, walking around the room. 

"Happy Birthday Chandler!" Phoebe said, smiling. Music started playing and the party guests started dancing. 

"Happy Birthday Chandler," a familiar voice greeted from behind him. He turned around and saw Monica smiling warmly at him. He pulled her into a hug.

"Thank you for coming," he whispered. He felt a hand slap him on the back and he turned around to see Ross smiling widely at him.

"Great party dude!" he slurred, "Happy Birthday!" he wandered off.

"Don't mind Ross!" Rachel said from a few feet away, "He's a little high. He's not even **supposed **to be drinking with those pills but he won't listen." She sighed.

"Pills?" Chandler asked in confusion.

"It's a long story," Monica whispered in his ear.

"Hmm…I'll take your word for it." Chandler said dryly. He smiled at Monica and gestured to the partying guests. "Care for a dance?" he asked shyly.

"Of course!" Monica said immediately, "Lead the way."

****

"Well they are getting along, don't you think?" Rachel asked Phoebe and Joey a couple of hours later.

"**Very **well." Phoebe commented, watching Chandler and Monica dance and talk at the same time. "They haven't separated from each other all night."

"I remember the last time we were all talking like this." Rachel reminisced. "It was Chandler's opening day over a month ago. Who would have thought that the same pair who were arguing at that bar would be dancing together weeks later."

Joey laughed, "Weird huh?"

"I told you that was just the beginning didn't I?" Phoebe said, grinning.

"There's just one thing I'm worried about." Rachel said, looking concerned.

"What's that?" Joey asked.

"We're forgetting that in just one week's time these two will be fighting it out to win $40,000. How will they manage to stay so close after?"

"I'll think they'll be just fine." Phoebe told her, smiling as she watched Monica and Chandler laugh over an apparent inside joke.

"I think we should be keeping watch over **other **people at this party," Joey drawled, pointing across the room.

Following Joey's gaze, Rachel groaned in disgust. Ross was crumpled up in a heap on the floor only semi-conscious. She walked over to him and put her hands on her hips. "You shouldn't be drinking with those pills." She told him, pulling him to his feet.

"Oh hey Rach," Ross acknowledged vaguely, "How are ya?" His eyes roamed over to the dance floor and he watched his sister and Chandler dancing to a slow, romantic song. "Aww…what a sweet couple!" he squealed.

Rachel looked at Ross in concern. "My god…" she muttered, "I think it's time you slept this off!" She gave a wave to Phoebe and Joey and dragged Ross out of the apartment to take him home.

"Oh sweet lord!" Phoebe exclaimed.

"I know…how much did he drink?" Joey asked in amazement.

"No, not that." Phoebe said impatiently, shaking her head. She pointed to the dance floor, "Look at **that**."

Joey widened his eyes in shock at the scene before him. Chandler and Monica were caught up in a passionate kiss oblivious to anyone else staring at them.

"Just business huh?" Phoebe said dryly.

"A little more than **that**." Joey replied in awed tones.

*****

When Monica felt Chandler's lips on hers it felt so right. One look between them as they danced made them realise what they wanted. As the kiss became more passionate and intense, something went off in the back of Monica's mind. She pulled back and, trying not to look at Chandler's confused face, she walked away. Ignoring the bewildered looks coming from Phoebe and Joey's direction, she left the apartment. In the hallway, she leaned against the wall and breathed deeply. She couldn't believe that she had got so close with Chandler like that and she knew it **couldn't** happen again. They were in competition with one another; romance could complicate things and people could end up getting hurt. 

The door opened and Chandler came out, shutting it behind him. "I'm sorry." He said softly.

Monica looked as his worried face and sighed. "There's nothing to apologise for." She told him, "We just shouldn't have done that."

"I know." Chandler moaned. He leaned against the wall and sighed heavily. "We both agreed that this was just going to be business." He said, "But god when I look back at our time together lately…" he stared into her eyes and she gazed back, almost hypnotised by the blueness of his eyes. 

She looked down on the floor, tearing herself away from them. "To the world, we are rivals." She said, "In seven days' time, the media will have all this pressure on us." She sighed heavily. "When it comes right down to it, it's going to be like this until that day comes."

"Then…then maybe it's best we don't see each other again until the day of the competition." Chandler suggested, looking sadly at her.

"I think that's a good idea." Monica said quietly. "I'll see you next week." With one last glance at him, she walked away.

END OF CHAPTER SIX 

:more coming soon and please review!:


	7. Chapter 7 Something Is Happening

:Right now, I can't think what to put in this A/N this time! I guess, to people who don't review…please do! Lol I really want your opinions and thanks to those who did review! Here is chapter 7 and I'll make the next A/N more fun next time! Haha: **Rivals At First Sight**

**Chapter 7 – Something is happening.**

_The next morning…_

Chandler was relieved that he was due at _Something For Everyone _at 6am. Joey was still asleep in bed recovering from a hangover so there were no awkward questions to be asked about what happened out in the hallway the previous night.

He worked through the rest of the morning as best he could, trying not to think about Monica. Luckily, that morning, it was unusually busy. He groaned inwardly when he saw Phoebe walk through the door at lunchtime.

"Hey Chandler," she greeted, "When are you taking a break?"

"Not today Pheebs," Chandler replied shortly. He didn't want to go through the questioning.

Phoebe shrugged, "Ok, I'll just say what I've got to say out here then."

Chandler rolled his eyes and turned to the assistant maitre d'. "Will you be able to cope?" he asked.

"Sure, no problem."

"Great thanks." Chandler pulled Phoebe into the back where the kitchen was. He looked at her and sighed. "Go on. Ask away." He muttered.

"What happened in the hallway last night?" Phoebe demanded, getting straight to the point, "One minute you guys were all over each other, then the next you both disappear and you come back alone not saying another word for the rest of the night."

"I don't want to get into details." Chandler said quietly.

"So are you two going out or not?" Phoebe continued, ignoring Chandler's vague reply.

"No we're not." Chandler answered, turning away.

Phoebe looked closely at him and saw the sadness in his eyes. "I don't understand," she said, confused, "You kissed. Surely that means something…right?"

"It doesn't mean **anything **Phoebe!" Chandler snapped, losing patience. "It was just a kiss. People kiss at parties…it doesn't mean **anything**."

"Oh so that'll be why after Monica left last night you looked like you were going to die." Phoebe said sarcastically. "Then this morning you sneak out of the apartment without telling Joey. Yeah, that kiss didn't mean **anything **to you." she shook her head in disbelief.

"Look, what we did last night was stupid," Chandler protested, trying to sound convincing, "We're in competition with one another, it wouldn't work."

"Of **course **it could work!" Phoebe exclaimed, "Chandler, this last month or so I've never seen you look so happy. You and Monica have so much in common and the attraction is **so **obvious. Hell, that psychologist guy has never even **spoken** to you and he knows!"

"Look, Monica and I agreed we shouldn't see each other again until the day of the competition. It's better that way. Now can you let me get back to work now?" Chandler walked back out into the restaurant, leaving Phoebe to stare after him in disbelief. 

*****

_Six days later_

"Ok I've got the cheesecake ingredients so I'm ready to go." Monica looked nervously at Rachel. The past couple of days had been hectic. Not only was she trying not to think about the possibility of winning $40,000, she was trying not to think about Chandler. The kiss stayed in her mind all the time and all she wanted to do was fall back into his arms. Rachel still didn't know anything about what happened that night and she wasn't about to tell her. At least not yet. Rachel had enough worries of her own, but she refused to tell Monica what was bothering her. "Is Ross coming today?" Monica asked.

Rachel shook her head. "No. He…he's got to be somewhere today."

Monica frowned. "He's known about this competition for weeks. How can he be busy on my big day?"

"He just is, ok Mon?" Rachel snapped. She sighed, seeing the hurt on Monica's face. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that." She muttered.

"It's ok," Monica assured her. She hoped that wherever her brother was, he was ok. She just wished Rachel would tell her.

*****

Chandler arrived early at the location where the competition was taking place. Phoebe and Joey kept him company, knowing that he was nervous and needed support. The pair stood around in the hallway as Chandler went to sign in. 

"Any sign of Monica yet?" Joey asked Phoebe.

"Not yet." Phoebe glanced up and down the hallway. She broke into a smile as she saw Rachel walking up followed by a slightly older couple. 

"Hey Pheebs. Hey Joey." Rachel greeted. She gestured to the couple standing next to her. "This is Jack and Judy Geller, Monica and Ross' parents."

"Pleased to meet you." Phoebe said politely. She smiled, "Isn't all this just so exciting?"

"I suppose." Judy said, sounding doubtful. She turned to Rachel. "Where's Ross?" she asked.

"Um…he couldn't make it." Rachel said uncomfortably. "I actually wanted to talk to you about that…"

Phoebe nudged Joey. "Why don't we go look for Chandler?" she suggested, looking meaningfully at him.

"Oh…yeah." Joey replied quickly, for once getting the point. They walked away.

*****

Monica was so nervous she wanted to be sick. She wondered if Chandler was feeling the same way. She came to the conclusion that he was probably feeling worst than **she **was as making cheesecakes wasn't very easy for him.

All the guests of the contestants had their own refreshment rooms so Monica decided to try and find the room that her group was located at. She paused outside one door, hearing familiar voices inside. She was just about to walk in until she heard what they were saying.

"Ross…Ross couldn't be here today because he had to go somewhere," she heard Rachel explain to Jack and Judy, "He's…he's attending a Alcoholics Anonymous meeting." Monica drew in her breath, shocked.

"What?" Judy asked faintly, "He's what?"

"Over the last three months or so Ross has been drinking heavily," Rachel explained quietly, "He's tried to give up but that's just caused him to be depressed and **very **irritable. The doctor prescribed him some pills to stop the depression but it didn't help. He still drank. This week he's finally admitted he's got a problem and he's attending his first meeting today."

"Where was Monica when he was going through all this?" Judy demanded, "Why wasn't she helping him?"

"Monica didn't know anything about this!" Rachel protested, "She just thought that Ross had another anger problem. I didn't want to worry her, she's under enough pressure as it is."

"Yes…having childish fights with that **man** and the press." Judy said angrily, "It's been so embarrassing for us. I don't suppose that has helped Ross either."

"Now Judy, I don't think it's our Monica's fault that Ross has a drinking problem." Jack cut in.

"She's concentrated so much on this…this competition that she's failed to see her own brother was ill!" Judy shouted.

"You didn't notice either!" Rachel shouted back, "You can't put all the blame on your daughter! This is Ross' problem…not hers!"

Monica backed away from the door, tears streaming down her face. Her mother was right; she **had **got too involved in the competition. How could she not see her brother had a problem? There was no excuses for it, she saw him everyday. She ran down the hallway and out of the building, trying to breathe in the fresh air. She leaned against the wall and sobbed into her hands.

"Monica?" a voice asked in front of her. She looked up and saw Chandler looking at her with a mixture of shock and concern. "What's the matter?"

"Ross…Ross has got a drinking problem," Monica burst out, "And it's all my fault!" she collapsed into Chandler's outstretched arms and sobbed into his shoulder.

"Sshh…" Chandler soothed, stroking her hair. He looked down at her tear-streaked cheeks. "How can it be your fault?" he asked softly.

"Because it is!" Monica cried, "I've been so involved in all this that I've failed to see my own brother was going through hell! What sort of sister am I? Why didn't I see…" She stopped when Chandler brushed a finger against her lips.

"Monica, it is **not **your fault that Ross has got a problem." Chandler told her gently but firmly. "From the sounds of it, this has been building for a while…**long **before we entered this competition. It wouldn't have made the slightest bit of difference even if you hadn't entered."

"But my mom said…"

"Your mother blamed you?" Chandler said in disgust, "I can't believe she would **do **that! Doesn't she care about your feelings?"

"It's always been the same. Ross is No.1 in our family. What I do doesn't matter." Monica replied, wiping her eyes.

"Don't listen to her! She should be proud to have a daughter like you. You're a beautiful, successful woman with a kind heart." He lifted his hand to stroke her cheek.

"Thank you." Monica told him, reaching up to hold the hand that was touching her cheek.

"Would all contestants please go to their places in the main room." A voice announced over a microphone inside.

"I guess it's time." Chandler said softly, squeezing her hand. He stood back. "Good luck with round one."

"Good luck to you too." Monica added, smiling at him.

"Thanks. I'm going to need it."

*****

_Several hours later_

The cheesecakes were made and the judges were walking in. "I would like to remind you all that any contestant lower than five points will not go on to the second round." One of the judges, a man in his fifties announced. He turned to the other judge, a woman with dark hair and a stuffy accent. "Shall we begin to taste the cakes?" he asked.

"Yes." The woman replied, nodding curtly.

Monica sneaked a glance at Chandler. He caught her eye and smiled quickly. She could tell he was terrified. His hair was shiny from sweat and his hands trembled.

The judges were very critical of the contestants. They took tiny slow bites out of each cake either having contented or disgusted looks on their faces. One chef, a sixteen-year-old girl from Florida, got the worst of it. "1 point." The judges told her. "That cake was disgusting. If you have a teacher, sue him," the woman added. The girl burst into tears.

When the judges arrived at Chandler's table, he looked like he was going to collapse. "This is…very good!" the woman exclaimed. Monica glanced over at the woman in shock. That was the first time she had ever given anyone praise without difficulty. Chandler's eyes were popping out of his head. "I give this…8 points!" the judge announced. "Well done."

Monica breathed a sigh of relief and she grinned at Chandler who just sat down in his chair in shock.

It was Monica's turn next. She waited nervously for the judges' reaction. "This is nice," the woman told her, "Maybe a little too sweet but I still give this 7 points!"

The score was lower than Chandler's, but Monica didn't care. She was through to the second round. She gave a happy smile to Chandler and sat down.

*****

Ten minutes later, Monica was outside waiting for Rachel and her parents to tell them the news. She didn't care what her mother thought now; she was going to really try her best in this competition. 

"Hey congratulations Monica!" a voice said. She spun around to see Chandler who was still looking shocked. 

"Congratulations to you too." Monica told him, giving him a long hug.

Chandler smiled gently at her. "Mon, I just want to say that if you win and I lose, I'll be happy for you. I've had such a great time with you over the past few weeks and, well, I guess that's it." He laughed nervously.

"I'll be happy for you too." Monica answered, letting him continue to hold her close. Realising what she was doing, she stepped back, confused. "What…what is happening here?" she asked him. "What's happening between us?" She looked down at her feet.

Chandler shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. He just stood and gazed at her. "I…don't know." He said hesitantly, "What do **you **think is happening?"

Monica heard footsteps behind her and she turned around to see her mother walking up to her. 

"Please don't fight out here!" Judy exclaimed, glaring at Monica in disapproval. She scowled at Chandler, looking at him with suspicion. She turned back to Monica. "We've been waiting out here ages for you, let's go."

Joey walked over and smiled. "Congratulations Chandler! I heard you got through!" he exclaimed, giving his friend a hug. He studied the expression on Chandler's face and followed the direction of his gaze, where Monica was walking away from them with her mother.

"Come on dude," Joey said quietly, pulling Chandler away. "You look like you need a drink…you lovesick dog." He chuckled and shook his head at the non-response from Chandler.

**END OF CHAPTER SEVEN**

:oh here's something for a A/N, I'm a Aunt now! As from early Sunday morning, I now have a nephew called James. Gosh, I'm 17 and I have the responsibility of buying presents for my nephew. He's going to be spoilt I can see it! lol:


	8. Chapter 8 Waiting For That Day

:My college work is done for this week, The Whole Ten Yards has a UK release date – woohoo lots of Matty this year! - Matthew is coming to London, my nephew is a little sweetie…not bad for one week eh? Anyway, thank you for the reviews, keep them coming! Becca, I'm sorry, have I tortured you too much? Lol Here is chapter 8. Enjoy!: **Rivals At First Sight**

**Chapter 8 – Waiting For That Day **

The next morning, Monica and Rachel ate breakfast in silence. Monica was still thinking about the events from the previous day and she knew Rachel was too worried about Ross to talk much.

The phone rang loudly, breaking the silence. "If it's another reporter calling, I'm going to scream." Monica said, sighing.

It was only 10am and already the apartment had calls from three different tabloids asking for her reactions on the results of Round 1. They continued to ask if she was angry that Chandler had beat her on judging points, but she refused to comment. It was beginning to get irritating. 

"Hello?" Monica asked wearily, answering the phone.

"Hey Mon," Ross' voice greeted.

"Ross?" Monica asked in surprise, glancing at Rachel. "How…how are you?"

"Fine," Ross answered hesitantly, "I just wanted to apologise for not being there yesterday. I had to…to…"

"It's ok Ross," Monica said gently, "I know."

"You…you know?" Ross whispered in shock, "How could you possibly know? I told Rachel not to tell you yet."

"I overheard her telling mom and dad," Monica said quietly. Rachel's head shot up and her eyes widened.

"I see, god, I didn't want you to find out **that **way." Ross moaned. "I'm sorry."

Monica sensed the pain in Ross' voice and her eyes watered with tears. "It's not your fault," she told him, "I just wish you had told me there was something wrong. I could've helped you."

"No you couldn't," Ross told her, "It's my problem, I need to deal with it. The museum was making job cuts and I thought I was going to lose my job. The pressure was just too much and…well…you know the rest." He sighed over the phone.

"I'm dropping out of the competition." Monica said immediately.

"No you're not!" Ross interrupted, "You're going on to the second round. You could win! You've worked really hard for this. Please don't drop out…continue for me."

"I don't know Ross…I should be helping you."

"Monica, seeing you make a success out of your career is helping me. If you drop out, you'll be miserable. That'll make **me **miserable."

"Ok, I won't drop out." Monica told him, admitting defeat, "But I'm only doing it for you."

"And if anything, for Chandler." Ross added, "He'll be disappointed to lose his rival." He laughed a little.

Hearing Ross speak of Chandler in a friendly way made Monica smile. It obviously meant her brother was beginning to like him.

****

It had been two days since that talk with Ross and there was only four days to go until the second round. When Monica went to work every morning, she avoided walking past _Something For Everyone. _Seeing Chandler again would only bring up more emotions than she could handle at the moment. She longed to see him again, even if it was just to look at his beautiful eyes.

Now, as Monica left for work, she stopped at a newspaper stand and her eyes caught the headlines on the front pages.

_Bing's Long Island business for sale._

"Oh my god," she muttered in shock.

****

Chandler left Long Island and stared at the 'Closing Down' sign on _Italian Treats _for the last time. He smiled sadly, knowing he was losing an old friend in a way. _Italian Treats _had given him so much over the last two years but Chandler knew he couldn't do it anymore. Working another fourteen hour day yesterday finally made him take the step to sell one of his businesses. As_ Italian Treats _was out of town, he knew it made sense that this should be the one to sell. _Something For Everyone _was doing so well and he just wanted to concentrate on that living only a few blocks away from it.

Arriving outside Central Perk, he paid his taxi driver and walked inside. He saw Phoebe and Joey on the couch and walked over. They smiled sympathetically at him, knowing it was hurting him to give up a business he loved so much.

"Hi." A familiar voice said behind him. He turned around and saw Monica looking at him with a mixture of shock and understanding.

"I guess this has been coming." She added softly.

Chandler sighed, "I couldn't do it anymore." He admitted, "It was just too much. It was…"

"Insane?" Monica finished, smiling wryly at him.

"That's one way of saying it." Chandler said, laughing.

Joey and Phoebe exchanged glances and tried to concentrate on drinking their coffees.

"Have the reporters been bothering you?" Monica asked.

"Not yet, but they will." Chandler replied, grimacing. "Oh, wow, what a mess huh?" he added, shaking his head.

Monica laughed, "It's been a crazy few months hasn't it?" she commented. 

"Crazy few **years**." Chandler corrected.

They both fell silent, thinking of the memories.

"Anyway, I just wanted to see if you were ok." Monica said softly, trying to break the tension.

"Thanks, but I'm fine." Chandler assured her, smiling. They caught each other's eyes and they fell silent again.

Joey cleared his throat. "Um…do you two want coffee?" he asked, "I'll get it."

"That's ok Joey," Monica assured him, tearing her eyes away from Chandler, "I'm going now."

"Uh oh…" Phoebe murmured, nodding her head towards a table near the door. They all turned to see what she was looking at and they groaned. Rick Morrison had just arrived and was taking notes on the group. 

"Don't psychologists ever take a break?" Monica snipped.

"Ignore him," Chandler instructed, "There's nothing unusual about two people talking together in a coffee house."

"Obviously to him, there is." Monica commented, shaking her head.

"Wait…I've got an idea." Chandler smiled mischievously.

"What?" Monica looked at him in confusion.

"Just listen to me and play along." Chandler whispered. He cleared his throat. "Hey! If I **want **the last scone, I'm going to have it!" he yelled at her.

"What the…?" Joey said, open-mouthed.

Monica widened her eyes, realising what Chandler was doing. "Hey, **I **want the last scone!" she protested, looking at him with mock anger.

"Must you two **always **fight?" Phoebe added, joining in.

"But they're not always…ow!" Joey yelped in mid-sentence as Phoebe kicked his ankle.

Chandler sneaked a look at the psychologist who was now frantically writing in his notebook. When he finished writing, he left the coffee house. 

"That'll get them going!" Chandler commented, laughing.

*****

" 'Rivals in coffee house fight.'" Monica read in her newspaper the next day. She giggled.

" 'There was another incident between the two rivals at the popular coffee house, Central Perk, yesterday afternoon.'" Rachel continued, " 'The argument, which was over a scone our sources say, got so heated that Miss Geller threw her cup of coffee at Mr Bing and left the usually civilised building in anger.'" Rachel widened her eyes and looked at her friend in shock. "You **didn't**." she murmured.

"Of course I didn't!" Monica said, laughing, "That bit was obviously made up."

"So, what **is **true?" Ross asked cautiously.

"Chandler and I wasn't really fighting," Monica explained casually, "We saw Rick there and we staged a little fight for his benefit."

Ross rolled his eyes and smiled a little. "I suppose that's better than a **real **fight." He said.

Monica smiled to herself and read the article again. There was a time when a story like this could have actually happened but now she could **never **see it happening. It was like reading about other people. It had only been twenty-four hours since the last time she saw Chandler, but she was already thinking about him again. She checked her watch. Chandler would be at _Something For Everyone _right now. Maybe she could go pay him a little visit. No, she told herself, you can't. No emotional involvement again. It hurt to keep telling herself that all the time. It was taking all of her willpower not to see him again deliberately before the next part of the competition.

"Only two more days Mon." Rachel said, breaking into Monica's thoughts. 

Monica snapped her head up. "What?"

Rachel said nothing. She just smiled and shook her head.

****

"You're really waiting for that day, huh?" Joey asked Chandler in their apartment.

"Sure. It's an important day." Chandler said, snapping out of his daydream. Once again, he had been thinking about Monica. As always, she had the ability to mess with his mind. He couldn't concentrate on anything anymore without thinking about her. "It's $40,000."

"It's not just **that **though," Joey commented, smiling. "You just can't wait to see that special someone." He teased.

Chandler rolled his eyes. "Ok, Joey, I get your point." He said.

"But I don't think you do!" Joey protested, "I don't think you see my point at all. You walk around all day with that soppy smile on your face and you just don't see it!"

"See **what**?!" Chandler exclaimed.

"Oh my **god**!" Joey groaned, burying his head into his hands.

END OF CHAPTER EIGHT 

:Have I teased you all enough? Lol chapter 9 coming very soon!:


	9. Chapter 9 The Winner Is

:Its took a few days for me to finish this, I've been really busy! I also didn't want to rush the ending and I hope what I've wrote satisfies all of you!: **Rivals At First Sight**

**Chapter 9 – The Winner Is…**

_Two days later…_

Monica gazed out of the window of her taxi as she arrived outside the venue. She swallowed hard as she saw the growing number of reporters and television crew gathered outside. "Oh…my…god." She muttered, closing her eyes.

"Don't worry Mon, you'll be fine." Ross tried to assure her, peering around her head to see the scene. 

Monica looked at him with worry. "Are you up to this?" she asked, "You didn't have to come."

"There is no way I'm missing my little sister winning the competition!" Ross exclaimed. On the other side of him, Rachel laughed.

"She hasn't won **yet**." She told him.

"Aah, but she **will**." He insisted.

Monica didn't say anything. She felt sick, too nervous to talk. She only hoped the reporters were going to ignore her when she got out of the car. It was only wishful thinking because as soon as she got out, the press bombarded her with questions. "Are you going to win?" "How will you feel if Mr Bing wins?" She shoved past them and walked inside the building, feeling worst than she did before. She signed in at the entrance and immediately went to find her refreshments room, wanting to be alone. 

"Monica! Monica!" a voice yelled behind her. She turned around to see Phoebe running up to her. "Hey…" she panted.

Monica gave a small smile. "Hey," she said back, "How are you?"

"Me? I'm fine…but what about you?"

"A little nervous," Monica admitted, "There's going to be a huge audience in the studios."

"You're calm compared to how Chandler is acting!" Phoebe exclaimed, rolling her eyes. "I swear, on the way over here we had to stop because he felt sick."

"Is he ok?" Monica asked worriedly.

"A little pale and he hasn't ate a thing all day." Phoebe replied, "I don't know what to do with him. Anyway, it should be **you **who's nervous! Your soup isn't your strongest, right?"

Monica groaned, "I wasn't even **thinking **about that until now!"

"Ok, well I had better find Joey and get some good seats," Phoebe said, shrugging, "I would tell you good luck but I want Chandler to win so…see you!" she grinned and waved.

Monica laughed and watched Phoebe go back down the hallway. She checked her watch. There was only half an hour to go until Round 2 started. She smiled when she saw Chandler walking up to her.

"Hey Mon," he said shakily. 

"My god, you look terrible!" Monica observed worriedly. "You look so pale. Are you ok?"

"Not really." Chandler replied, running his hand through his hand. "Never felt so terrified in my life."

"You're not the only one." Monica tried to assure him. She frowned and shook her head, "You've really got to calm down, and you don't want to blow it!"

Chandler gave a small smile. "You know, you should be pleased I'm a wreak!" he said, laughing, "We're supposed to be rivals in this."

"Ok, no more advice!" Monica quipped, "Get out there and make the worst soup in history." She smiled. "You look better already."

Chandler smiled back. "It must be you," he said softly.

"Maybe." Monica said quietly, looking into his eyes.

"Ahem…um…I should go," Chandler stuttered, "I've left my…um…stuff in my room."

"Sure…and good luck." Monica told him, smiling at him. Chandler turned around and started walking down the hallway. He stopped, hesitated and turned back around. He walked back up and pulled Monica in for a long hug.

"Good luck to you too." He murmured into her head.

"Thank you." Monica whispered.

*****

Chandler walked through the hallways, trying to find his way back to his room. For the first time all day, he felt relaxed. He smiled as he thought of Monica and how calm she appeared in such a situation as this one. He saw a side door leading to outside, and he went out to breathe in the fresh air. He froze, hearing voices just around the other side of the building.

"So who do you think will win this year?" Chandler recognised the voice to be the female judge in the other round.

"It's a tough one this year," the other voice replied. It was the male judge. "But I'm betting on Monica Geller, that young chef from New York."

"In my opinion, the final round is the most disappointing," the woman said, "Each year, the chef's make the same soups over and over. None of them really stand out. I doubt Monica Geller will surprise me."

Chandler snorted quietly, disgusted with the woman's assumption. 

"What exactly are you looking for this year?" the man asked.

"Good flavour…maybe some spices. Nothing too bland." The woman replied after a moment's hesitation.

"Ok, so we shall see when Round 2 starts." The man added, "Actually, we should go inside right now. Time is getting on."

Chandler widened his eyes and ran back inside. If he were caught listening, he would be disqualified. He ran up the hallway, found his room and went in, slamming the door behind him. He leaned against it, breathing hard.

"Good flavour…" he murmured. He thought of the woman's pre-assumptions about Monica. "She doesn't know what she's talking about." he said loudly to himself. He looked back on the past few weeks with Monica, thinking how hard she had tried to get her soup right. He frowned. He hadn't told Monica but he still thought her soup wasn't good enough to win. To Chandler, it didn't seem right that she didn't win. She was a professional chef…he and the other contestants were just amateurs or inexperienced. 

There was also another reason he wanted Monica to win. Her enthusiasm in taking part had been so endearing. She was the contestant who was taking it the most seriously. Winning would mean more to her than anybody.

"She deserves this prize," he muttered. He glanced at his ingredients. He rummaged through them and pulled out a bag of herbs and spices. A smile began to appear on his face and, putting the little bag in his pocket, he took the rest of his ingredients to the studios. On the way, he crashed into a young man around his age. He smiled when he recognised the man. "Greg?" he asked.

The man smiled, "Thought I'd find you here!" he joked, shaking his hand. 

Chandler laughed. "How's it been going since I left you harsh critics?" he asked.

"Well, I'm a investigative reporter now." Greg said proudly.

"Wow that's great!" Chandler exclaimed, "Just like what you've always wanted."

"Yes, and just between you and me, I've found out a lot of stuff about certain people." Greg whispered, looking up and down the corridor.

"Like who?" Chandler asked, interested.

"Well, ever heard of a guy called Rick Morrison?" Greg asked, grinning.

Chandler widened his eyes. "What about him?"

"This **may **just interest you…got a minute?"

****

Monica laid out her ingredients on her table, trying not to look at the growing number of people in the audience. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ross, Rachel, Joey and Phoebe in the front row in deep discussion. She looked up and her brow furrowed when she saw Chandler walk away from his table to hers.

She watched as he pulled out a small bag from his jacket and placed it in front of her. "Put these ingredients in your soup." He told her, smiling, "Trust me, with these ingredients you'll win. It's what the judges are looking for."

Monica widened her eyes and saw the sincerity in his face, "I don't understand." She whispered to him, "Why are you helping me? Don't **you **want to win?"

"Not as much as you do." Chandler said softly, smiling gently at her, "You deserve this. Just do as I say and you'll win the $40,000."

"But…but what about you?" she asked in disbelief. "You make the best soup out of any of us. You could win this!"

Chandler shrugged. "What am I going to do with $40,000?" he asked, "It means nothing to me. I never entered this for the money. I just wanted to show those snobs what I could do, and I've done that." 

"Oh my god…" Monica muttered, smiling. "I…I can't believe you're doing this for me."

"Start believing it." Chandler told her, smiling. He walked back to his table.

"Contestants have 45 minutes to make the soup!" the male judge called out to everybody, "Starting…now!"

*****

_45 minutes later…._

Chandler looked worriedly at the judges as they announced his score. "8 points!" they announced. Added on to the points from the previous round, Chandler now had 16 points. He was now in the lead and Monica was the last contestant to be judged.

Chandler remembered the number of points Monica had from her previous round. She'd had seven. The one way she was going to beat him was if she got a straight 10 out of 10. If it was a draw, Chandler still won because he had the highest points in the previous round.

"God…" he mumbled under his breath, "I hope she added enough spices to that soup!"

He watched with growing nervousness, as the judges tasted Monica's soup. The tension in the room was growing and the audience murmured under their breaths.

"8 points!" the judges announced. Monica had finished second.

Chandler widened his eyes in disbelief. He had won. He turned to Monica in complete shock and did a double take when he saw her smiling widely at him, clapping hard. The thunderous applause from the audience seemed far away as the contestants gathered around congratulating him.

His eyes met with Monica's and she smiled. "Congratulations." She whispered in his ear.

"God Monica, I'm so sorry!" he burst out, "I thought you would win…"

"I didn't add the ingredients." She interrupted, whispering in his ear. 

Chandler widened his eyes, looking at her with confusion. "What?" he whispered.

"I didn't add them." She repeated.

The judges walked up to Chandler and pulled him up on stage. "Well done Mr. Bing!" the woman judge said enthusiastically, "A very worthy winner." She handed him the cheque and he took it wordlessly. Seeing Monica nodding encouragingly at him, he broke into a grin. "Thank you!" he yelled, holding up the cheque for everybody to see.

*******

"Wow, that was unexpected," Joey commented, clapping hard with audience.

"Yes!" Rachel exclaimed. "Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for Chandler but I just didn't expect him to win."

"I think there's something going on," Phoebe murmured. She pointed across the room and the others followed her gaze. Chandler was pulling Monica out of the room.

"What the hell…" Ross muttered in confusion. "What are they doing?"

"Its just business!" Rachel, Joey and Phoebe chorused together. They exchanged knowing glances, ignoring Ross' confused ramblings.

"What the hell are you three talking about?" Ross demanded.

"We'll tell you later." Rachel assured him.

*****

Outside, Chandler looked at Monica with confusion. "I still don't understand why you didn't put in those ingredients." He told her. "I didn't want to win…"

Monica sighed. "All my life I've wanted to win everything," she explained, "And that's what I did. I used to win everything. But, when I did, I always won because I was the **best**… I didn't need any help." She paused and looked at him with passion, "Chandler, what you did for me was so sweet but I didn't deserve to win. I realised that when you said 'I never entered this for the money.' When I entered, I wanted that money so much that I forgot about what I needed to **do **to win. The money distracted me from concentrating wholeheartedly on the cooking. You entered this with an open mind, willing to do the best you can so you could show people what you could do. That's what the judges were looking for…they were looking for the passion in the cooking. I noticed that the idea of actually winning went completely out of your head when you started to make that cheesecake during the many hours we spent together. You enjoyed yourself; you weren't worrying what might happen next. In the end, you made the best food and you deserved to win…not me."

"My god…Mon…I don't know what to say." Chandler whispered, "You are just…amazing."

Monica blushed, "Well, that's me!" she joked, embarrassed.

"I mean it. You are the most generous, kind hearted, passionate woman I have ever met." He paused and looked into her eyes. They smiled at each other.

"So if you didn't want to win, what **did **you want?" Monica asked, never taking her eyes off his.

"There **was** one thing…" Chandler said gently. He lifted his hand, stroked her cheek and then ran it through her hair. He leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. He pulled away and smiled at her. "I want you."

"Haven't you had enough for one day?" Monica joked, wrapping her arms around him.

"Is that **my **fault?" Chandler demanded, smiling mischievously at her, his face millimetres from hers.

"Men…they always want more." Monica muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Technically, this is all I wanted so you can just stop all that garbage right…" he was cut off as Monica kissed him passionately on the lips. "…now." He finished breathlessly as they parted. 

"Why should I?" Monica asked in mock anger.

"Because then I won't do this…" Chandler muttered at her as he kissed her on the lips again, slowly running his hands up her back and through her hair. They kissed long and passionately until they finally pulled away from each in reluctance.

"We should go and find the others," Chandler said, sighing. 

"We should," Monica agreed, kissing him once last time.

"Now, we must act like adults here." Chandler told her, trying to sound firm, "We're in a public place." He grinned, and pulled Monica in for another kiss.

"Well, well." A voice behind them said, "This is interesting."

Monica and Chandler turned around to face the entrance of the building and saw Rick Morrison staring at them with amusement.

"What do you want Rick?" Chandler asked wearily.

"Nothing, I have all that I want right here." Rick replied smugly, taking a camera out of his pocket. "Got some nice pictures here of you two."

"Yes, and I've got some nice information on you." Chandler shot back. Monica glanced at him, confused.

The smile faded from Rick's face. "I don't know what you're talking about." he muttered.

"Oh really? Then I suppose I should remind you, hmm?" Chandler said, folding his arms. "Something about you never graduating from college and not being fully qualified?"

Monica gasped, "Oh my god!" she exclaimed, "You're one of the most respected psychologists in America. How could you lie about something like that?"

Rick scowled and shrugged his shoulders, "Easy money." He replied.

"I'm sure the media won't see it that way," Chandler said meaningfully.

Rick widened his eyes, horror spread all over his face. "You can't tell anyone about this!" he exclaimed, "My career will be ruined."

Chandler smiled and nodded. "Ok, if you promise to never write a single word for that tabloid again I won't ruin your career, how's that sound?"

"You have no proof of this anyway!" Rick said triumphantly, "You can't make me quit!"

"Oh yes I can!" Chandler retorted, "I have a **very **good source that proves you're not a fully qualified psychologist. My source found out from records that you were thrown out in your last semester for cheating on your exams."

"Alright fine!" Rick yelled. He pulled out the roll of film from his camera and tore it up. "The pictures are gone! Happy now?"

"Not quite." Monica told him, "You have to hold a press conference apologising for your behaviour which borders along the lines of invasion of privacy and stalking."

Chandler snorted with laughter and nodded in agreement. "Yes, until you resign from the cheap tabloid you work for we can't fully guarantee we'll keep your little secret."

"This is crap!" Rick yelled.

"No, this is revenge," Chandler corrected, "Over the last couple of months you have made both our lives hell. However, my source says you have many satisfied clients… it's why we are reluctant to expose you straight away. All we want for you to do is never write a single word about our friends or us again. It's not too much to ask."

"Fine," Rick muttered grudgingly, "I'll hold a press conference as soon as I can."

"Good!" Chandler said approvingly, "Now, can you go because you kind of interrupted us." He squeezed Monica's hand.

Rick stormed away from the couple. As soon as he was gone, they burst into helpless laughter. "My god that made my day!" Chandler gasped out, calming down.

"Who was your source?" Monica asked curiously.

"An ex-food critic turned investigative reporter," Chandler explained, "His name is Greg and we used to work together." He brushed his lips against Monica's lips and smiled gently at her, "I don't think we'll be bothered by that man again." He whispered.

"What do we do now?" Monica asked, smiling.

"Well, there's somewhere I want to take you." Chandler told her mysteriously. He grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the building. 

"Where?" Monica asked impatiently.

"You'll see."

A few minutes later, they were back in the village. They walked through the neighbourhood coming to a stop outside the jewellery shop the pair had been to days before.

"What are we doing out here?" Monica asked in confusion.

"I've decided what I want to do with my prize money," Chandler told her, "Or at least half of it anyway." He nodded to the display where the bracelet was still on display.

Monica put a hand to her mouth in shock. "Please don't tell me what I think you're about to do." She whispered, looking at him.

"At least try it on." Chandler told her, smiling.

"It's too much money, it's…" Monica stopped when Chandler brushed his finger against her lips.

"Monica, you helped me with that cheesecake," he told her, "I want to buy you this." He paused and his finger travelled from her lips to her cheek. "I also want to buy you this because I love you," he added, smiling softly.

Monica broke into a smile and kissed him lovingly on the lips. "I love you too." She told him.

"Well that's good because I don't think I want to buy a $20,000 bracelet for the woman I love who doesn't love me back!" Chandler quipped, kissing her on the cheek.

"So the only way I'm going to stop you from wasting half your prize money on me is if I tell you I don't love you?" Monica asked, smiling. "Ok, I don't love you." she said, trying to sound serious.

"You're a terrible liar." Chandler muttered, pulling her into the shop.

"I am **not**!" Monica retorted, glaring at him.

"Yes you are." Chandler teased, standing in front of the desk where the sales assistant looked at them with amusement.

"Rivals at first sight," the assistant murmured.

"Excuse me?" Monica and Chandler asked together.

"You're the business rivals on the front page of today's paper, yes?" the assistant asked, "That's the headline." He smiled wryly. "Maybe I should say **ex**-rivals now."

"Rivals at first sight." Chandler repeated thoughtfully, "And then love at second sight." He added, smiling fondly at Monica.

"I am **too **a good liar!" Monica insisted, smiling.

Chandler rolled his eyes and smiled at the assistant. "Can I have the bracelet for this 'good liar' to try on please?" he asked politely.

The assistant brought out the bracelet from the display and handed it carefully to Monica. She slipped it on and tears formed in her eyes. "This is beautiful." She whispered. She smiled at Chandler and touched his cheek. "Maybe I **am **a bad liar." She told him, "I **do **love you. I always have."

"Nice to hear you admit you're wrong for a change." Chandler quipped.

"Do you **want **me to let you buy me this bracelet or not?" Monica asked playfully.

"Just having a bit of fun Mon," Chandler murmured, smiling mischievously. "Although we know where **that **will lead." He added, bringing back the memory of the food fight.

"You wish." Monica snorted, handing the bracelet to the assistant for it to be placed in a gift box.

 The assistant smiled and put the bracelet in a box, leaving the couple to continue to flirt with one another in the only way they knew best.

THE END 

:I hope you enjoyed this story! Please review.:  


End file.
